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Shrines (Roman and Post-Roman) Introductions to Heritage Assets Summary

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Shrines (Roman and Post-Roman) Introductions to Heritage Assets Summary Shrines (Roman and Post-Roman) Introductions to Heritage Assets Summary Historic England’s Introductions to Heritage Assets (IHAs) are accessible, authoritative, illustrated summaries of what we know about specific types of archaeological site, building, landscape or marine asset. Typically they deal with subjects which have previously lacked such a published summary, either because the literature is dauntingly voluminous, or alternatively where little has been written. Most often it is the latter, and many IHAs bring understanding of site or building types which are neglected or little understood. This IHA provides an introduction to Roman and post-Roman shrines. Descriptions of the asset type and its development as well as its associations and a brief chronology are included. A list of in-depth sources on the topic is suggested for further reading. This document has been prepared by Kate Wilson and Pete Wilson and edited by Joe Flatman and Pete Herring. It is one of a series of 41 documents. This edition published by Historic England October 2018. All images © Historic England unless otherwise stated. Please refer to this document as: Historic England 2018 Shrines (Roman and Post-Roman): Introductions to Heritage Assets. Swindon. Historic England. HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/selection-criteria/scheduling-selection/ihas-archaeology/ Front cover The Carrawburgh mithraeum, Northumberland. Beyond the narthex (entrance area) the two areas of grass mark the position of benches with altar at the rear of the building. Between Chester’s and Housesteads Roman forts, it is an English Heritage property open to the public. Introduction Roman-period shrines and temples are relatively common in comparison with those for the preceding and succeeding periods, largely by virtue of the more substantial nature of many of the remains. Many aspects of Roman-period religion are of being for most in the Roman period and how well known, including its generally polytheistic religion cannot be readily separated from daily nature and its toleration and absorption of life. The diversity of Roman-period religion can most local religious practices and new faiths – perhaps be best seen through the variety of the alleged Roman aversion to Druidism may cults originating outside the Empire, or within have as much to do with the perceived political conquered territories, that are recognisable in influence of the Druids as with Roman revulsion the archaeological record; major exotic deities in respect of human sacrifice. Similarly the lack include Isis and Serapis from Egypt, Cybele of toleration of monotheistic faiths, notably and Atys from Asia Minor, and Mithras from the Judaism and Christianity, may have been as much Near East. political, given the refusal of their adherents to acknowledge state cults and the acceptance of the Much of the evidence for religion in the Roman Roman order that such observance implied, as it period is in the form of portable material - was grounded in religious dogma. altars and explicitly religious artefacts such as statuettes of deities – as well as items that have The key Roman observances were the Imperial clear votive or talismanic significance, such as Cult, attested in Britain in various cities including phallic symbols. Colchester, London and York, and the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva) who are In the post-Roman period shrines were used as well-evidenced. That said, most other major places of Pagan or (from the time of Augustine’s Roman gods are also represented in the British mission to Kent in 597) Christian worship until archaeological record, including Mars, Mercury, the 7th century. The archaeological evidence for Hercules and Vulcan. The equation of British such shrines is rare, with the majority of examples gods with gods from the Roman pantheon was so far identified being from the south-west of common, such as Sulis (the Celtic name of the England in rural, isolated settings, frequently goddess) and Minerva (the Roman equivalent located on hilltops. They appear as foundations thereof) at Bath, but by no means obligatory of small circular or rectangular buildings or as witnessed by the shrine to Coventina, an structures, usually found in association with other ‘un-equated’ Celtic goddess, at Carrawburgh features such as prehistoric sites, hillforts, Roman (Northumberland). temples, cemeteries and churches, and natural features such as springs and caves. The multiplicity of gods and spirits (such as the Genii loci – Spirits of Place, including the Lar Although sites may appear as cropmarks in aerial familiaris who presided over the household) photography or as low earthworks, their identity demonstrate how religion pervaded all aspects would need to be confirmed by archaeological 1 excavation. Very few sites have been identified of Anglo-Saxon words for temple, sacred grove, through archaeological investigations in England idol, holy place or shrine as found in Harrow and of those only Yeavering (Northumberland) (Middlesex) and Weeford (Staffordshire). Place- provides evidence for pagan worship. Place- names incorporating these pagan elements are name evidence can also be used to identify concentrated in the midlands and south-east potential sites that may be indicative of pagan of England. places of worship because they contain elements 2 1 Description For the Roman period it is perhaps best to separate the description of temples from shrines, the latter taken here to mean slighter or less formalised religious structures. There are three basic plan forms of temple: Romano-Celtic, Classical and Basilican, although as will be discussed below these generalised categories are subject to many exceptions. Shrines are far more varied in form, ranging from formally constructed buildings such as the semi-circular structure associated with the temple at Coleshill, (Warwickshire), through minor structures such as Figure 1 nymphaea, to other foci, for example the Bronze West Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire. Extract from the site phase plans showing some developments within the Age barrow at Irlingborough (Northamptonshire) shrines complex. that became a focus for coin offerings, or the Iron Age Ferry Fryston (West Yorkshire) ‘chariot burial’ barrow which attracted offerings of cattle for up to 500 years, into the 2nd century AD. While 28 m square. On balance polygonal-plan temples perhaps not technically ‘shrines’ the house church tend to be larger than square-plan examples. at Lullingstone (Kent) Roman villa and other religious structures associated with Christianity Romano-Celtic temples occur in both urban and represent a further group of Roman-period rural Roman-period locations. Some form part of religious structures. religious complexes where there appears to be continuity of religious focus from the Iron Age, as Romano-Celtic temples represent by far the most at Hayling Island (Hampshire.) where a circular common plan form. In essence the main structure Iron Age ‘shrine’ was succeeded in the Roman often consists of two concentric elements, with period by a circular stone-built structure with a the inner one forming the cella or religious portico in place of the shrine. At the Springhead focus, and the outer square an ambulatory temple complex in Kent there appears to be around it. In plan they can be square, circular, no clear evidence of structural continuity from rectangular or polygonal and the most common the Iron Age to Roman period, but nevertheless reconstruction is as a central tower surrounded the springs on the site seem to have been by a lower ambulatory (Figure 1). They often, but venerated throughout. not without exception, stand within a temenos, or sacred enclosure. Considerable structural variety in Romano-Celtic temple forms have been observed. At Hayling In size they vary considerably, with the outer Island the Roman temple lacks an ambulatory dimensions of ambulatories varying from about immediately around the cella, but has rather a, 8.5 m to about 22 m and those of cellae from probably internally porticoed, enclosure 40 m about 5.1 m to about 16 m. Continental examples by 43 m. At Jordan Hill, near Weymouth (Figure can be larger, for example the ‘Temple of Janus’ 2), the temple similarly lacked an ambulatory, at Autun, in France, the ambulatory of which was although here this probably reflected the 3 Figure 2 Jordan Hill, Dorset. The surviving remains of the cella of the 4th century AD Roman temple. Near Weymouth, this English Heritage property is open to the public. robbing of the site. Equally structures can building height, 3.5 m at Colchester, to create a display distinctive additional features, such as visual impression of dominance of the area as the external buttresses known at Pagan’s Hill, well as supporting the cella. The latter was usually Somerset, while broadly conforming to the usual located behind a portico, or pronaos, that was plan forms. often approached by steps. The sides of the cella would usually be adorned with engaged or free Classical temples are rectangular stone-built stone columns, and the frontage would include structures that are relatively less common than a pediment. Romano-Celtic temples, but are an important element in the religious landscape of Roman The extent of decoration is variable, although Britain. Of iconic status is the temple of the columns of both Corinthian and Iconic orders are deified Claudius at Colchester that is today known to be associated with Classical temples represented by its 32 m by 23.5 m podium which and there could
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